


One single thread of gold tied me to you

by oftheragingfire



Series: I once believed love would be (burning red) [3]
Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - College/University, Based on a Taylor Swift Song, F/M, Fluff, Light-Hearted, Prompt inspired, Song fic, and this idea followed me around for the day, i know this song just came out but. i had to write something asap, just some cliche meet cute things lool
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:00:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25485859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oftheragingfire/pseuds/oftheragingfire
Summary: - He melted on the inside when she did, and if she looked close enough she could see it in his eyes.
Relationships: Metacrisis Tenth Doctor & Rose Tyler, Tenth Doctor | John Smith/Rose Tyler, Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Series: I once believed love would be (burning red) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1844509
Kudos: 12





	One single thread of gold tied me to you

**Author's Note:**

> another of my ongoing ten/rose oneshots inspired by taylor swift songs. title taken from the lyrics of the track 'invisible string' (go stream folklore now too!)

John had been bored that day, clearly nothing to it. He had gone on a walk, hoping to find a cure to his boredom, when he spotted the bookstore at the end of the road. It had been so long since he had even set a foot so close to it. 

This was his favourite bookshop within the area of University, he came there very often that he'd get recognised by the salespeople and the rest of the staff.

When he first came to the shop, he had been searching for a book he needed for school. He'd been looking for a copy of Hamlet as some students borrowed the remaining copies ahead of him at the library. There had been no other bookstores within a decent distance to the flat he was staying at, so it had been his only option. Rose Tyler, an Art History student not much younger than him was working that day and helped him find the specific book he needed.

As he walked in, he hurriedly headed to the classic's section,he went to move but was a second too late and he had bumped her by accident, letting the books she'd be arranging fall onto the ground.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m a mess and I should’ve looked carefully, forgive me.” He wasn't watching where he was going, browsing through the various books stacked on the shelves.He bent down to help her, and their fingers grazed each other’s as they reached for the same book. When he felt the warmth of her hand he looked up at her and saw her already looking at him. After a moment of their eyes locking, they both got up and Rose handed the book to him.

“Thank you so much. I’m John, John Smith..and I'm sorry if i'm disturbing you in some way.”

“It’s fine. Rose Tyler”, she stuck out his hand for a shake as she collected all of the books into one arm to reciprocate.

She immediately caught his interest. She was pretty, she was also good with conversing, and he'd heard about her great participation at various activities in school and from the brief conversation they had shared, he could already tell that they would get along very well..

Rose let a smile tug at the corner of her mouth. “I guess you have some homework to catch up on? Sir would go haywire if a student fails Shakespeare. She laughs, "He's just _very_ passionate about the writer himself and the subject, of course.”

John has been stunned, "Why yes, but i doubt that's ever a problem for myself. I can quote this story by heart." He says and Rose grins back.

Ah, they both can feel the beginning of a wonderful friendship, and who knows _maybe it can become more?_

Eversince that encounter, whenever John needed a book, for school or otherwise, he came to that shop. The shop wasn’t owned by Rose of course, but its name was “Just The Little Old Bookstore”, and it was increasingly annoying to tell people the name of the shop because they always asked him again as if he hadn’t told them the first time, so he decided to just call it _Hers_.

Sure they'd sometimes see each other in between classes, sharing smiles as they pass by each other in the hallway and try to have chitchats.

But he came to the shop frequently, sometimes he came and walked around, pretending to look for a book, though when in reality he was waiting until they could talk. Rose started coming around a lot more than her normal shift there, her and John talking for as long as they could, about professors they've had in several classes, what their thoughts were on novels written by Victor Hugo and Jane Austen. They'd be having lunch out with their fellow uni friends, Jack and Martha. Soon after eventually, they got each other’s numbers. They would text each other frequently, and soon one called the other and spoke late into the night. He'd bring her something to eat for lunch if he had the time; while she returned the favour by making him his favourite food for his late nights of studying, they definitely had become the best of mates.

Rose's laugh along with his rang through the shop, filling it with joy. And with that laugh, John's heart sang. Every time he saw her, he tried and did anything to get her to smile or laugh, because her expressions were like no other. He melted on the inside when she did, and if she looked close enough she could see it in his eyes.

He wishes he could tell her soon about how he felt, and that maybe she would somehow return those feelings too, yet a little fear of getting a rejection would weaken his feelings, but if that is how things would turn out then so be it.

Still, a part of him was clinging onto hope, that this lovely young woman could be the one to pull out his heartstrings after all.


End file.
